Eastbrook Orchestra Concert 2009

The orchestra concerts that I mentioned last week ran for two nights, with our performances in two different venues. Wednesday night, we performed at Milwaukee's Washington Park bandshell. I hadn't lined up a photographer for that location, but I did have two at work for the next evening at another, newer bandshell. Fortunately, one of them was also at the first night, but unfortunately I had spotted him after my part in the program was over. But he will be dropping off a CD for me, so I'm hoping to see some of the first night's performance on it also.

Washinton Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the renowned landscape architect who designed and supervised the creation of New York’s Central Park. I believe the park was created around 1892, and the bandshell was built about 1938. During it's heyday, the concerts held here were heavily attended and hosted legends such as Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. But that was a different era, and for a long time, the bandshell stood vacant and stood in a state of sad decay. Several years ago work began to restore this beautiful gem.

And this is what it looks like today. It was an incredible place to sing, with acoustics that could easily be described as heavenly. The evening was truly perfect. The temperature was not too hot. And the air was still, allowing the sound to come through clean and clear. The experience was a LOT of fun, and I felt so priviledged not only to sing in this venue, but also to be able to sing with the level of singers I did. It was truly an evening I will never forget for the rest of my life.